COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTIONAmerican Strong Pale ale brewed with an experimental hop variety simply known as "HBC 342". You may never see this hop, so we wanted you to try it. Although this beer offers a definite bitterness, the flavor and aroma profile of this hop is that of watermelon.

Pour on tap at Winterfest 2012,pour was hazy yellow-orange with nice white head, aroma is incredibly remarkably like watermelon, hints of orange and other tropical fruits as well as a slight cracker note. Taste is a mix of the watermelon up front, hints of some slight mango and passionfruit, hints of slight biscuit finishing fairly bitter. Nicely done!

Hmmm... My second beer in under a month brewed with HBC 342, the other being Alpine’s Melonhead IPA. Draft at Town Hall. Pours clear bronze, thin white head, soft lacing. Nose is gentle, with bitter melons, trpocial fruit, and just a trace of spice lingerine around the edges. Flavours of spice, melon, and tropical fruit. I’m really sold on the HBC 342 hop, as this beer, like the one from Alpine, was just tailor-made for me.

Growler. Pours clear amber with a large white soapy head that fades to a film and lacing. Aroma is bright fruity citrus and heavy malt caramel. Taste is nice and bitter pine and citrus with a solid malty caramel and spice. Palate is medium with good carbonation and finishing peppery and dry. Pretty good!

Growler sample via and shared with Savvy1982. Pale copper in colour with medium carbonation. Aromas are of sour peach candies, melon, sweet grasses and pale malt. It’s got a kind of bramble fruit thing going on upfront in the mouth, followed by a definite watermellon note. Gets very bitter and woody on the finish. Interesting overall, but the bitterness drags it down.

Date: February 12, 2012 Mode: Draft Source: Town Hall Description: Cloudy orangish-brown pour with some head and nice lacing. Aroma of spice, citrus, butterscotch and maybe some banana as well. Taste had some of those elements with melon and a slight bitter finish.

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